| Whether you are a man or a woman, the feelings | | | | everything you are feeling is real. It's like the story |
| that come with midlife crisis can be similar. | | | | about the Room of 10,000 Demons, first told to me |
| Disillusionment, doubt, unhappiness, restlessness and | | | | by Bill 0'Hanlon, writer and hypnotherapist. |
| disappointment are some of the common | | | | When you walk into the Room of 10,000 Demons, |
| characteristics. Many people report a kind of | | | | you will see all your worst fears and nightmares |
| uneasiness that they just can't name.As the | | | | played out as if they were real. |
| baby-boom generation (those born between 1945 | | | | When you walk in, the door closes behind you, and |
| and 1965) has come of age, it's as if, at best, having | | | | there is no handle on the inside of the door. If you |
| a midlife crisis has become fashionable.At worst, it's | | | | can make it to the other side, to the door leading |
| an excuse for irresponsible and possibly destructive | | | | out, you will reach nirvana. |
| behavior.Because baby boomers tend to reach | | | | Once inside, you get two important instructions. The |
| success at an earlier age than their parents, midlife | | | | first is that no matter what you see, hear or feel, it's |
| crisis can hit earlier as well.Crisis and opportunityThe | | | | not real; it's merely a product of your own mind. The |
| Chinese symbol for crisis means both danger and | | | | second instruction is that no matter what you see, |
| opportunity. A midlife crisis represents both danger | | | | hear or feel, keep your feet moving. Eventually, you |
| and opportunity for the people who experience one. | | | | will make it to the other side.And, as we can glean |
| Let's take a look at both of these | | | | from this story, you may start to believe that you |
| possibilities.DangerRemember the old sci-fi series Lost | | | | have to act on everything you feel.OpportunityThe |
| in Space? Whenever danger was approaching, the | | | | opportunities available in a midlife crisis can be very |
| robot would wave his arms and shout, "Danger! | | | | useful.A midlife crisis can be a time of evaluation and |
| Danger! Warning, Will Robinson!"From what I've seen | | | | soul-searching and not necessarily a time of |
| happen to many people, that's what needs to be | | | | self-absorption.In the movie Look Who's Talking, one |
| shouted at people hitting a midlife crisis.Here's a list of | | | | character tells a woman, whom he has gotten |
| some of the dangers:If you try to resolve a midlife | | | | pregnant and is abandoning, that his therapist says he |
| crisis with the traditional little red sports car and | | | | is going through a selfish phase. Now that's |
| 22-year-old new partner, you may wind up in a small, | | | | self-absorption!Puh-lease!Not only is a period of |
| one-bedroom apartment with huge alimony and | | | | evaluation and soul-searching a good thing - it can and |
| child-support payments.You may start to believe that | | | | should be done much more often than just at midlife. |